


Jeffery

by Tashilover



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dead child, ghost story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-14
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-29 10:38:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1004408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tashilover/pseuds/Tashilover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a playground nobody plays on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jeffery

There was a playground nobody played on.

Tashi couldn't understand why nobody played on it. Sure, it was pretty old. The swings and slides were all made out of wood and metal rather than thick, hard plastic. Maybe there was a little too much bird poop and the wood chips on the ground had been kicked away, revealing the harsh cement underneath, but those were little, stupid reasons not to play. If Tashi was fifteen years younger, she would be all over this place.

Every day she as she walked her dog she passed this playground. Every day she saw kids playing in the streets, ignoring this wonderful, nostalgic area. There was only one sign, warning children to not play on it when it was wet, but that was just common sense. As far as she could tell, there was nothing wrong with it.

Finally, Tashi decided just to ask.

"Excuse me," she said, walking up to a small group of local kids. "I have a question: is there something wrong with that playground over there?"

The kids shifted uncomfortably. Because Tashi was a young woman, people did not see her as a threat and she often used that to her advantage. Maybe she should rethink that.

"There's nothing wrong," said one of the kids finally.

"Oh. Then how come I never see anyone playing on it?"

"Because of Jeffery."

"Jeffery?"

The kids all nodded. Tashi suddenly got an image in her head of a stereotypical bully, some fat kid terrorizing the neighborhood, stealing candy and pushing others into mud puddles. "Do you know Jeffery's parents? Maybe I can talk to them."

The kids shook their heads. Tashi could see there was more, something they weren't telling her. Maybe this Jeffery brat was much more intimidating than she expected. She wanted to ask more, but her little dog Sammy was getting impatient, wanting to finish their walk. So Tashi thanked the kids and continued on her way.

 

 

 

 

That next day, as Tashi walked past the still-empty playground, she decided to check it out. It was a gloomy wet day, the skies were gray and rain was threatening to fall later that afternoon. None of the kids were out, the streets were practically empty of all life.

Tashi tied Sammy to the warning sign, then she walked to the playground. First she inspected the slides, the monkey bars, tugging on the grips and pulling on the chains. Everything seemed to be in order. Nothing was loose or rusted.

Finally, she climbed on the little tire bridge. It lead to the top where the tallest slide was. She felt a little silly climbing a playground at her age. But once she was done and stood straight up, looking out, she was actually quite surprised by view.

Two things happened at once. First, Sammy started barking. Not only was she barking extremely loud, with her snout pulled back, fangs bared, but she was tugging on her leash, practically desperate to get loose.

Then, Tashi heard a little voice behind her. "This is  _my_  playground."

Tashi turned. She gasped and nearly threw herself backwards.

There was a little boy in front of her, blocking the path to the tire bridge. He looked like he was only eight, maybe ten years old. His skin was gray, his clothes were dripping  _wet_ , but Tashi was not focusing on that. There was something wrong with his  _neck_. His head was bent to the side, like he was cradling a phone between his ear and shoulder.

Except there was no mistaking what it was. His neck was broken.

The boy stepped forward menacingly. "This is my playground. Get off."

It started to rain. Tashi tried to think of something rational to say, maybe offer to call a fucking ambulance or something. "I-I... I..."

_"Get off!"_

With that, Tashi turned and slid down the slide, uncaring if her pants got wet. Once her feet hit cement, she ran out to Sammy, and untied the leash. Her little dog was still barking wildly towards the playground.

Tashi glanced back. The boy was nowhere in sight.

 

 

 

 

Later that week, after going through dozens of sheets of microfilm, Tashi found the boy in her local newspaper. In the obituary section.

Jeffery Holden, age nine. Broke his neck twenty years ago while playing on wet playground equipment. The article explained Jeffery had a bad habit of playing on the equipment regardless of time or weather, and often pushed other kids off, refusing to share the big slide.

There was even a picture. There was no mistaking it, the kid Tashi saw was Jeffery.

Tashi never went near the playground again. She never told anyone else what she saw or experienced. When her nephew came to visit, she always took him to the elementary school's playground, which was much father down the road. When he asked her why they couldn't go to the playground that was closer, she would shake her head.

"No. Jeffery plays there."

**Author's Note:**

> Story inspired by an empty playground I do pass everyday.


End file.
